Process for cleaning road vehicles and composition

ABSTRACT

Process for cleaning road film from road vehicles with a dilute aqueous solution of a cleaning composition. The cleaning composition is a mixture of 15-90 parts condensed phosphate, 2-40 parts alkaline builder, 5-60 parts alkali metal chloride, 1-25 parts higher alkylbenzene sulfonate, 1-15 parts of fatty lower alkanolamides, 1-10 parts polyethyoxylated fatty alcohols or alkylphenols, and 1-30 parts of a hydrotropic agent.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Clifford M. Cantrell Cincinnati, Ohio; David P. MacDonald, Ludlow, Ky.; Millard J. Laugle, Cincinnati, Ohio [2]] Appl. No. 662,300 [22] Filed Aug. 22, 1967 [45) Patented Sept. 28,1971 [73] Auulgnea W. R. Grace 8: Co.

New York, N.Y.

[54] PROCESS FOR CLEANING ROAD VEHICLES AND COMPOSITION 5 Claims, No Drawings [52] [1.8. CI 252/137, 252/152, 134/2, 134/6, 134/32, 134/36, 134/42 [51] 1nt.(l Cllcl H22 50 Field 6: Search 252/137; 134/2, 6, 29, 32, 36

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,044,246 6/1936 Johnson 252/89 2,846,402 8/1958 Lew 252/152 2,920,045 1/ 1960 l-learn et a1. 252/137 2,956,026 10/1960 Lew 252/137 X 3,075,922 1/1963 Wixon 252/137 X 3,122,508 2/1964 Grifo et al 252/137 X 3,151,084 9/1964 Schiltz et a1. 252/152 X 3,232,880 l/l966 Mausner et al.. 252/137 3,393,154 7/1968 Treitlcr 252/152 X OTHER REFERENCES Soap 8: Chemical Specialties 1 July 1962-p. 159 Soap & Chemical Specialties (2) January 1965-p. 163

Primary Examiner--Leon D. Rosdol Assistant Examiner-M. Halpem Attorneys-William B. Walker and Kenneth E. Prince PROCESS FOR CLEANING ROAD VEHICLES AND COMPOSITION This invention relates to a process for cleaning road film from automobiles, trucks, buses and the like with a dilute aqueous solution of a cleaning composition and to the cleaning composition.

In summary, the process of this invention is a method for cleaning road film from road vehicles comprising the steps of applying an aqueous solution of from 0.1 to 2 oz./gal. of an inventive cleaning composition per gallon of water to the surface to be cleaned, and rinsing this surface with water. The cleaning composition comprises from 15-90 parts by weight of an alkali metal condensed phosphate; from 2-40 parts by weight of an alkaline builder selected from the group consisting of alkali metal phosphates, silicates, carbonates, and mixtures thereof; from 5-60 parts by weight of an alkali metal chloride; from 1-25 parts by weight of an alkylbenzene sulfonate having from 8-18 carbons in the alkyl group; from lparts by weight of a member selected from the group consisting of fatty amido amine complex salts, fatty lower alkanolamides, and mixtures thereof; from 1-10 parts by weight of a member selected from a group consisting of polyethoxylated fatty alcohols having from 1-30 ethoxy groups, polyethoxylated alkylphenols having from 8-9 carbons in the alkyl group and from 1-30 ethoxy groups, and mixtures thereof; and from l-30 parts by weight of hydrotropic agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts of fatty acid sulfonates, lower alkylbenzene sulfonates having 1-3 carbons in the lower alkyl group, and mixtures thereof.

Much effort has been made in recent years to develop cleaning compositions which, by spray application or the like to automobile, bus, or truck surfaces, would effectively remove road film from these vehicles. The road film is a diverse mixture of dirt, fuel and lubricant residues, soot and other materials which settle on the vehicle from the air or are picked up from roads; it resists the cleaning action of many detergent compositions. Because the detergent composition must not deteriorate the paint surface on the trucks and automobiles or corrode exposed metal components thereof, the highly alkaline or acidic detergent compositions normally used to remove greases and the like from metal parts cannot be safely used.

The object of this invention is to provide a method for effectively cleaning road films from the surfaces of road vehicles, and to provide a more effective composition for this process. It is another object of this invention to provide a process for cleaning road vehicle surfaces with a composition containing components which cooperate to effect a greatly improved cleaning action.

The process of this invention comprises applying an aqueous cleaning solution containing from 0.1 to 2 oz. per gallon of water and preferably from 0.05 to 0.5 oz. per gallon of water of a cleaning composition to dirty surfaces of road vehicles and trucks, and rinsing these surfaces with water. The cleaning solution can be applied to the vehicle surfaces by hand, with or without a rubbing action, but is preferably applied with a pressurized spray apparatus. For example, a concentrated aqueous solution of the cleaning composition can be mixed with water sprayed from a pressure hose system using conventional and well-known equipment. In such equipment, the liquid cleaner concentrate can be siphoned or pumped into the water stream immediately before it leaves the spray nozzle. High-pressure spraying is preferred because the impact of the liquid on the surface to be cleaned assists in removing film materials from the surfaces. Rinsing is also preferably accomplished with a water spray. The process of this invention can also be accomplished in automatic vehicle-cleaning systems such as car or bus wash systems and the like.

All concentrations are herein given as parts by weight or weight percents unless otherwise indicated.

The cleaning composition of this invention contains from 15-90 and preferably -40 parts by weight of an alkali-metal.

condensed phosphate. Suitable phosphates include' the sodium and potassium tripolyphosphates, tetrasodium and tetrapotassium pyrophosphates, and sodium and potassium hexametaphosphates. The cleaning composition preferably contains from 20-40 parts by weight of an alkali metal pyrophosphate and from l-30 parts by weight of an alkali metal tripolyphosphate.

The cleaning composition also contains from 2-40 and preferably from 5-30 parts by weight of an alkaline builder such as alkali metal phosphates, silicates, carbonates, and the like. Suitable builders are trisodium and tripotassium phosphate, sodium and potassium silicates and in particular sodium or potassium metasilicate, sodium or potassium carbonate, and mixtures thereof. The cleaning composition contains from 5-20 percent sodium phosphate, and up to 15 percent sodium carbonate for optimum cleaning action. These alkaline builders provide the pH conditions in the cleaning solution at which the other components provide the increased cleaning action characteristic of the process and composition of this invention.

As a critical ingredient, the composition of this invention contains from 5-60 and preferably from 10-30 parts by weight of an alkali metal chloride such as sodium or potassium chloride. Although alkali metal chlorides are not ordinarily considered to have any significant cleaning activity, it has been found that in the unique composition of this invention, they function to provide a greatly increased overall cleaning activity.

The composition of this invention also contains from l-25 and preferably from 5-15 parts by weight of an alkyl benzene sulfonate having from 8-18 carbons in the alkyl group. Suitable alkylbenzene sulfonates include the tetrapropylene benzene sulfonate and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates having about 12 carbons in the alkyl group, the latter being preferred because they are biodegradable and do not create disposal problems.

The composition also contains from 1-15 and preferably from l-5 parts per weight of a surfactant such as fatty amido amine complexes, alkali metal and preferably potassium salts, sold under the trade name Carbon Detergent K Modified, by Textilana Corp. of Hawthorne, California, and fatty lower alkanolamides having from 8-18 carbons, preferably from 12 to 16 carbons, in the fatty acyl group and from l-3, preferably 2, carbons in the lower alkanol group. The preferred fatty lower alkanol amide is the fatty ethanol amide.

As an auxiliary surfactant which cooperates with the other surfactants in the composition of this invention to provide increased cleaning, the composition of this invention contains from l-lO and preferably from l-5 parts by weight of a polyethoxylated compound such as polyethoxylated fatty alcohols having from 8-18 carbons in the fatty alkyl group and having from l-30 ethoxy groups and polyethoxylated alkylphenols having from 8-9 carbons in the alkyl group and from l-30 ethoxy groups.

The cleaning composition also contains from 1-30 and preferably from l-lO parts by weight of a hydrotropic agent which functions, notonly as a coupling agent to maintain the components in solution, but also to provide additional wetting activity and reduction of surface tension in the cleaning compositions. Suitable hydrotropic agents include the alkali metal (sodium and potassium) salts of fatty acid sulfonates having from 8-18 carbons in the fatty acid group, and lower alkylbenzene sulfonate having from l-3 carbons in a lower alkyl group. The preferred fatty acid sulfonate is the sodium salt of oleic acid sulfonate or myristic acid sulfonate. The preferred lower alkylbenzene sulfonates include xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and isopropylbenzene sulfonates. Sulfonates made from xylene include orthoxylene sulfonate, metaxylene sulfonate, paraxylene sulfonate, and ethylbenzene sulfonate. Commercial xylene sulfonates usually contain metaxylene sulfonate as the main ingredient.

The cleaning composition of this invention is preferably for- .mulated as a dry, anhydrous composition. Therefore, fillers such as sodium sulfate and desiccants. such as calcium silicate, silica gel, and the like can be added in sufficient concentrations to provide a noncaking powder composition. Desiccant concentrations of from l-3 parts by weight are usually sufficient to prevent caking.

The composition of this invention may conveniently be phosphate selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium tripolyphosphate: tetrasodium or tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, and sodium or potassium hexametaphosphate;

mixed with water to form a solution concentrate for liquid b. 2-40 parts by weight of an alkaline builder selected from feeding in cleaning equipment. Solution concentrates containthe group consisting of trisodium or tripotassium ing from 0.5 to 40 oz. per gallon of water can be easily phosphate; sodium or potassium metasilicate; and sodium prepared from the composition of this invention. or potassium carbonate;

The process and composition of this invention are effective c. 5-60 parts by weight of an alkali metal chloride, selected to remove road film from automobiles, trucks, buses and other from the group consisting of sodium or potassium road vehicles by conventional cleaning processes. A very parchloride; ticular cooperation of the ingredients in the composition of d. l-25 parts by weight of an alkylbenzene sulfonate having this invention exists at the pH level provided by the alkaline from 8-18 carbons in the alkyl group; builders. With the essential cooperation of the alkali metal e. l-l5 parts by weight of fatty acid lower alkanol amides chloride, higher alkylbenzene sulfonate, and the combinations having from 8-18 carbons in the fatty acyl group and l-3 of surfactants disclosed above, a far more effective removal of carbons in the lower alkanol group, road film is obtained than has heretofore been obtained with f, 1-10 arts by weight of a member selected from the group cleaning compositions for road vehicles. The process of this on isting of polyethoxylated higher fatty alcohols having invention, because of the particular cleaning composition infrom 1-30 ethoxy groups polyethoxylated alkylphenols gredients, does not harm painted surfaces or cause corrosion having from 8-9 carbons in the alkyl group and from of the metal surfaces being cleaned. l-30 ethoxy groups; and

The invention is further illustrated by the following specific g, 1-30 art by weight of a hydrotropic agent selected from but nonlimiting example. the group consisting of sodium or potassium salts of fatty acid sulfonates; and lower alkylbenzene sulfonates having EXAMPLE from l-3 carbons in the lower alkyl group; and rinsing the The following cleaning compositions in concentrations of vehlcle Surfaces water' from 0.25 to 0.5 oz. per gallon of water have been found to 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition provide exceptional cleaning of road films from outer surfaces contains from 20-40 parts by weight of said pyrophosphate of road vehicles when sprayed against these surfaces. These and from lparts by weight of said tripolyphosphate. superior compositions are shown in table A. 30 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition TABLE A Weight percent Composition No l 2 3 4 5 6 7 5 9 'li-trusodium pyrophosphate 35, 0 34. 0 25. 0 25. 0 25. O 37.0 0. 0 5 1m 0 Sodium earb0natn l 10.0 9.0 5.0 5. 0 15.9 (lui'hon detergent K modified. 3. 0 2.0 2. 0 4 0 5 0 0 Sodium tripolyphosphato A H 20. 0 20. O 20. O 20. 0 -0 0 90. 0 0 0 Tenor-55cc sulionato 0A-5, sodium oleic acid sulfonate sa]t 2.0 4. 5 4. 5 4. 5 0 Z 0 34 0 U Ti'isodlum phosphate, anhydrous v 10. 0 10. 0 10. 0 l0. 0 0 r 0 Higher fatty othanolamide l .4 3.0 U. 5 (.Zm'boxano 'IW-lOO, fatty alcohol ethoxylate t t 2 0 l. 5 2 0 1 0 4 5 0 l repal L0 730, polycthoxylated nonyl phenol 1 v t t t t 1.5 5 Sodium chloride 18,5 18,5 17.0 17. 5 20.0 20. 0 5 5 Linear sodlium dotlecyl benzene sulfonato S. 0 8.0 8. 0 8.0 0 94 0 0 5 Silent: EF, calcium silicate 1. 5 l. 5 1. 5 1. 5 0 0r 5 5 I N onylphcnol plus 15 moles ethylene oxide.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinabove set forth can be made without departing from the essence and scope thereof, and only such limitations should be applied as are indicated in the claims.

The invention claimed is: l. A process for cleaning road film from road vehicles which comprises the steps of applying to the surfaces to be cleaned an aqueous solution of from 0.1 to 2 oz. per gallon of water of a cleaning composition consisting of:

a. 15-90 parts by weight of an alkali metal condensed 

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition contains from 20-40 parts by weight of said pyrophosphate and from 1-30 parts by weight of said tripolyphosphate.
 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition contains from 5-30 percent by weight of said alkaline builder.
 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition contains from 10-30 parts by weight of said chloride.
 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition contains from 5-15 parts by weight of said alkylbenzene sulfonate having from 8-18 carbons in the alkyl group; from 1-5 parts by weight of said (e) member; from 1-5 parts by weight of said (f) member; and from 1-10 parts by weight of said hydrotropic agent. 